Review: "Claudia & Mean Janine: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #4"

Claudia & Mean Janine: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #4 by Raina Telgemeier
5 out of 5 stars

This was probably my favorite of the graphic novels so far, even though it is one of the saddest books in the series. I'm just saying it now: if they do Claudia & The Sad Goodbye, I don't know if I'll be able to read it!

Okay, so the story starts off in the last week of school. Claudia has a big math test and Janine is trying to tutor her (which is obviously not working, because she doesn't know her basic times table!?) They get in an argument and Janine storms off; Mimi comes in and helps Claudia. Claudia doesn't know what she or her family would do without Mimi.

At the BSC meeting the next day, Stacey has a chic new haircut and Pete Black held her hand, Kristy thinks boys are gross and still doesn't like Dawn, and they come up with the idea for a summer playgroup as soon as school lets out. Because they can't spend even one week just chilling and watching Price is Right or whatever. Claudia and Janine continue to fight and cause Mimi to have a stroke. (Not really, but that's what Claudia thinks.) It's really scary and sad and well-done for younger people.

The playgroup goes well: Andrew makes Prissy Jenny Prezzioso wear her art smock because he's a monster, the kids give Louie the dog a bath, they make lots of money. Kristy & Dawn spend some time together alone and come to a friendly understanding of sorts. Mimi comes home and starts her recuperation, learning words again and how to use her motor skills. Jamie Newton loves his new little sister, Lucy, but gets upset when she gets all the attention and almost pours the punch bowl over her head. Claudia realizes she and Janine are acting like Jamie. They finally talk and both realize they're jealous of the other. They make up and Janine even admits that she hides candy in her room too. The book ends towards the end of summer and the girls realizing they've been the official Baby-Sitters Club for one year.

Now let's talk about the artwork. Overall, very good and in line with the descriptions. Claudia's room looks a lot better in this one. Plenty of art supplies and stuff on the walls, snacks hidden away, and we even get to see inside her closet! Her fashion was very on-point throughout the book too.

We see Jeff in this one and Dawn's house and the old spooky barn. And more of the neighborhood kids in the playgroup. Andrew and Karen are so cute. Also, there's apparently at least one other black family in Stoneybrook (at least in Raina's world), before the Ramsey's show up, because their kid is at the playgroup. He never gets named though. I wonder if they'll talk about that when Jessi finally shows up, if she does.

After the end of the book, Raina talks us through how the graphic novel is formed and it was really interesting to read. I can't wait to read the next one!

Review: "Mary Anne Saves the Day: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #3"

Mary Anne Saves the Day: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #3 by Raina Telgemeier
4 out of 5 stars

Claudia's purple hair is still driving me crazy, but at least they're being consistent. I really love that they're continuing these graphic novels. They're a great way for new fans to get introduced to the series and for old fans (like me lol) to have something new to take them back to their childhood. Again, the cover outfits and styling are pretty accurate, which is nice. Although, is Claudia wearing Uggs??

Okay, brief review of the plot if you've forgotten (or go read my original review here): Kristy takes a job for Jamie & Lucy Newton without offering it to the others first and causes the BSCers first big fight. Lots of name-calling and tears. Mary Anne meets the new girl, Dawn Schafer, and they totally hit it off. Mary Anne saves the day (see what I did there?) when Jenny Prezzioso gets super sick. The BSCers realize they're being stupid after they nearly ruin Jamie's party, they make up, and ask Dawn to join the club.

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Now let's talk details. Once again, love the artwork and seeing the minor characters come to life. I never pictured Mary Anne's dad with a hipster beard though. Dawn is pretty plain but at least they got her long blonde hair right. And she has peace earrings on. But I just realized they never show Jeff, that's weird. The Prezzioso's are exactly how I pictured. Oh no, do you think they'll do Mimi's book? I don't think I could handle that one in a graphic novel!

And it was so much fun to see the Pike family!! There are so many of them lol...

There's a bit of upgrading...Dawn has a DVD player (but they still watch The Parent Trap, thank goodness) and Claudia plays CD's. And we get extra background, like finding out Mary Anne's mom died of cancer. I don't think we ever know that in the regular books, do we? I kind of thought she died during childbirth. Mary Anne visits her mom's grave at one point too. Oh and Mr Prezzioso gives Dawn & Mary Anne $50 each instead of $10 wow!!

Overall, another great book that stays true to the originals in all the best ways. And did you see that Kristy's Big Day just came out? With that awful yellow dress lol. I hope they eventually do go back and do the ones they skipped though. That bothers my little organized brain. :D

Review: "The Truth About Stacey: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #2"

The Truth About Stacey: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #2 by Raina Telgemeier
3.5 out of 5 stars

I went to pull up my original review of this book and just now realized that they didn't do the actual first 4 books as graphic novels. I can't believe I didn't see that before now. They skip over Claudia & The Phantom Phone Calls, Dawn & The Impossible Three, and Kristy's Big Day. I wonder why? I mean, yeah, those weren't the best books but it's still kind of weird. And now I really wish they would do the first Super Special!

Okay, back to the graphic novel. I'm sure you know the story already, but here's a quick recap: Stacey has a secret that's not really a secret because we learnt about it in the first book and so did her new Stoneybrook friends. She's diabetic. Also, some older girls try to start their own baby-sitting service but they suck so the BSCers win again. This goes into a lot more detail than the book about what diabetes is and how it affects Stacey, which was pretty interesting. (And why I bumped it up half a star.) Especially for a kid just getting diagnosed. I would definitely give this to them as a resource.

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The artwork is great, like the first, with one exception. There's a flashback part with Laine and Stacey and they're supposed to be in 4th grade for some reason but they look exactly the same as their 7th grade selves. Not a huge deal, but when you're a BSC fanatic you notice this stuff lol.

The girls' outfits on the cover are pretty on-point, except for that darn purple streak in Claudia's hair. I guess the artist decided to make that a "thing" for her but it still bugs me lol. Also, we get to see more back characters like Janine, Stacey's parents, the Johanssens, Jamie Newton (who gets his little sister, Lucy), Laine (who looks like a total dweeb to me), Pete Black, and a few others. Overall, a great companion to the series and I can't wait to read the next two! I was waiting until I actually reviewed this one. ;)

Review: "Kristy's Great Idea: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #1"

Kristy's Great Idea: The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel #1 by Raina Telgemeier
5 out of 5 stars

I've seen these graphic novels before in the store but it wasn't until the new color version came out this year that I decided I had to have them. And I am so glad I did; they are definite buys for any diehard BSC fans! Obviously, we all know the story by now: "...make one call and reach a whole bunch of [sitters] at once." Four friends get together and change childcare in Stoneybrook forever; daycares and au pairs everywhere weep. If you need more detail, head on over to my very first BSC review and enjoy! :)

The artist does a great job bringing these girls to life. They're age appropriate (even more than the book covers, in my opinion) and the attention to detail is almost perfect. I say "almost" because there were a few things that slipped by. My biggest complaint was Claudia's outfits and purple streak in her hair. I really wish they had drawn her exact outfits from the book and I don't recall her ever having colored hair. (I'd say that's a little too permanent for her parents.) Her room is also a lot neater and plainer than in the books, but I guess that would get tiresome to draw every time. And a minor detail: in the end, Stacey adds up their sitting money to $52.75 instead of the original $26.75, which seems a lot more accurate to me anyway. In the book, I can't remember if it tells how Mary Anne's mom died? Here they say cancer.

Other than these small things, the graphic novel is very true to the book and just adds a richness to the story with the pictures. I loved seeing all the background characters come to life. We get such a clear picture of the 4 girls but sometimes the family members and sitting charges are a little fuzzy. Karen Brewer and Morbidda Destiny were probably my favorite. (I always pictured Boo-Boo as a black kitty though.) I think I'm more terrified of the witch now than just reading the book lol. I'm super excited to read the next book. Wouldn't it be awesome if they did the first Super Special?